ANNUAL REPORT 1995-96 CSIR 2001 VISION & STRATEGY Front cover:" maximise the economic, environmental and societal benefit for the people of India" • C S I R Vision-2001, is illustrated in our mineral resources surveys, our deep ocean environmental work and the societal vision, (Back cover) as seen through the eyes of Baburao V. Gawas (10 years old), son of one of our colleagues. 3 Decades 1966-1996 National Institute of Oceanography Our Ex-Directors NK Panikkar SZ Qasim WR Varadachari HN Siddiquie BN Desai CONTENTS • Director's Report 4 R & D Contributions • Contract Services 7 • Coastal Environment 11 • Engineering, Techniques & Technology 15 • Offshore Processes & Resources 18 • Bilateral Programmes 31 • Data, Information & Scientific Services 34 Appendices • Cruise Programmes 38 • Seminars/Workshops/ Meetings/Training 42 • Awards & Honours 44 • Council Members & Staff on Committees 45 • Deputations 48 • Visitors 51 • Manpower & Budget 54 • Publications 56 • Staff List 62 1 2 Director's Report 1995-96 has been an important period for us of good science, important events, and a few celebrations. The "focussing" process begun last year continued. Research activities with potential in industrial applications were encouraged to focus on fihng patents and industry- usable products. Basic research was also made more "business" tike by closer monitoring and clearer milestones. These steps are imperative if we are to restructure our approach and aim for a self financing status — a goal set CSIR laboratories through the CSIR Vision 2001 statement of the Director General, Dr. Mashelkar. This year's reporting format is much the same as last year's with four major reporting areas, viz., Contract Services; Coastal Environment; Engineering, Techniques & Technology and Offshore Processes & Resources. Highlights Contract Services triangular and grapnel stone anchors adjoining this dockyard. External Cash Flow (EOF) during the year from contract-services was Rs. 881.863 lakhs, an increase of Rs. 14.363 lakhs Engineering, Techniques & over the 1994-95 year's level. The major Technology portion came from Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies (32 projects, Studies on wave direction in shallow 57%). We were able to significantly waters (8 m) for the first time were enhance our environmental data base and accurately evaluated as a function of in many cases we were able to survey frequency. Such information are larger areas than required by the important for assessments of dynamic sponsors. effects on offshore coastal structures. Three PVC stilling-wells for air-acoustic Coastal Environment tide gauges were fabricated and installed at Goa, Chennai and Port Blair, as a Extract from sample, (NIO-497) (a successful pilot project in indigenous mangrove species), showed antibacterial fabrication for the imported gauges. All activity against 8 strains of Gram + ve future stilling wells for air acoustic and -ve bacteria. The major active gauges will also be produced indigenously. principle isolated was a flavonoid. Extract from sample, (NIO-450, also a A promising substitute for antifouling mangrove species) produced two pure chemicals was isolated from a marine compounds, flavonoid and triterpene sponge. The compound was found non- toxic at sub-lethal concentration levels, glycoside, both identified as promising and a patent on the isolation process of anxiolytic. Sample NIO-450 also the compound has been filed. exhibited good antidiabetic properties. A 110 m long x 75 m wide dockyard Offshore Processes hollowed out of the rock and datable to 17th Century AD was discovered during The Bay of Bengal was studied albeit in archaeological surveys on the river bank parts, as part of our basic interest in the of Vaghotana, 3 km from Vjjaydurg fort physical properties of this enclosed Bay (Maharashtra). There were a few on the eastern coast of the country. We 4 now have 4 year satellite estimates of the The solid earth group had important higher rainfall that the Bay receives vis- findings to report on plate tectonics, a-vis the Arabian Sea. Satellite altimetry seamounts, the Andaman Backarc basin, has also indicated the presence of nodules survey in the Central Indian Ocean anticyclonic gyres in the Bay interior, while and paleoclimatic studies. hydrographic investigations during August '95 as a part of our WOCE India activities A probable date of 42 Ma when the Indian to estimate zonal volume transport, & Australian plates merged has been indicated the presence of a cyclonic eddy suggested based on geophysical data, with in the upper 200 m. Initial hydrographic the 86°E Fracture Zone possibly acting as analyses in the Central Bay indicate that a transform fault type between the two Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and the plates. A model to account for the evolution strength of the Western Boundary Current of extra oceanic crust in the Bay between (WBC) could be used as precursors to the 86°E FZ and the 90° East Ridge was monsoonal activity. also proposed, whilst in the Arabian Sea, near Lakshmi Ridge, magnetic anomaly We expect to consolidate these various patterns allowed inference of rift leads into an integrated approach to the propagation as the dominant mechanism study of all processes of the Bay, during in the evolution of the ocean floor. the IX Plan. The occurrence and composition of A 3-D semi-diagnostic model of seamounts, combined with Seasat gravity circulation developed to compute the and stress data, pointed to 2 major steady state circulation, sea surface collisions which occurred between the topography and adopted temperature & Eurasian and Indian plates—around 58.2 salinity fields in the tropical Indian Ma and again around 51.6 Ma. Ocean north of 2°S lat. and upto 80°E long, reproduced realistic sea surface Geophysical studies in the Andaman Seas topography and associated circulation allowed the delineation of 2 ridge segments patterns. along the Backarc Ridge, one of which is active with possibilities of locating The Arabian Sea received greater attention hydrothermal activity. This was further in terms of the chemical processes studied verified by samples collected in the area therein. The JGOFS India cruises data which had indications of probable showed seasonality in the oxygen, hydrothermal activity in the past. The nutrients and carbon dioxide levels. The surveys also showed the Backarc Basin to south-western monsoon cruise of 1995 be a complex morphotectonic structure. showed upwelling in the northern Arabian This area holds exciting promise for future Sea and a sinking induced by convergence surveys. in the southern portion with a strong lower atmosphere Findlater jet also being The methodology and integrated data sets monitored during this cruise. Significant of still and video photographs, spot and remineralisation at mid-depths lead to sub- grab sampling for phased relinquishment oxic conditions and profiles of the dual of the nodule site area in the Central isotopic composition of nitrous oxide in Indian Ocean, was prepared and presented sub-oxic waters fractionated during intense to the Department of Ocean Development denitrification showed these to be for their use as the Relinquishment isotopically the heaviest on our planet. Document to the International Sea Bed Authority. Seasonal variability of the total and partial pressures of C02 showed distinct north- High resolution studies of marine south gradients in the surface layers. microfossil indices of upwelling from Winter cooling and connective mixing samples of the ODP site 723A off the Oman accounted for higher C02 levels during this Margin, covering the last 19 Ka, suggest period compared to the intermonsoon, that the monsoon was more vigorous though the flux of C02 to the atmosphere during the last glacial maximum, 18 Ka, reached a maximum during the monsoons, rather than the inter-glacial period 15.8 suggesting that physical, rather than Ka to 12 Ka. The commonly held biological processes, were the controlling hypothesis suggested by climate simulation factors in this process. models that the SW monsoon was linearly 5 related to ice-sheet thickness is questioned. Department of Ocean Development. Our This finding opens up interesting work in this area, funded by the speculative possibilities on the Department of Ocean Development (DOD) completeness of present day climate on exploration of polymetallic nodules and models. subsequent development of mine site in the Centra] Indian Ocean Basin, contributed This year Jan. 1996, we celebrated the significantly. We shall continue to discharge completion of 3 decades of our our duties, responsibly and to the benefit establishment. Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, was of the country. with us and his presence gave our celebrations stature and dignity. The At Institutional level, a Local Area Network formal celebration commenced with his (LAN) was commissioned and a digital Foundation Lecture on "Bridge between EPABX installed. We announced loans for discovery & market place-the emerging PCs to those who had contributed Indian challenge". He also highlighted the significantly to earnings of contract tasks set by him in reshaping the CSIR. services to our lab reserves. Later in the year Prof. Herman Bondi, FRS, and Dr. S.Z. Qasim, Chairman of our Research Council delivered a lecture each. With the release of the White Paper on The excerpts of these lectures are being CSIR, our search for patentable items has published in our NIO Bulletin, Vol. 18, begun, and invited lectures through the No. 1 (1996). The celebration will continue year emphasised the importance of throughout the year 1996. knowledge bases and the intellectual property regime as well. The country as well as the Institute earned recognition on two counts. Our Indian The institute is uniquely positioned among National Oceanographic Data Centre oceanographic Institutes bordering the (INODC) was declared a Responsible Indian Ocean and our efforts in the years National Oceanographic Data Centre for ahead will be to consolidate this position. the Indian Ocean Region (RNODC-INDO), We look forward to the years ahead. by the IOC Committee on International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange.